Recommendations for incoming NFGT

[DakotaGT]

My 2021 Carbon Series NFGT is going to be delivered to Detroit area (Milliken/Kevin K) in about a month, and I am obviously getting quite excited. I am trying to formulate my game plan to ensure that everything is in order when it is delivered to me in South Dakota. My reason for going with Kevin/Milliken Ford is 1) I've heard great things, and they have obviously done this quite a bit by now, and 2) I don't trust anybody in my home area to do a proper job with the PPF, and I would like this car ready to drive when I have it delivered to me. So, Kevin is going to store the car for me to let the paint cure for several weeks, and then take it to the shop/shops of my choice to get the paint protection film done, before delivering the car to me.

My questions are:

1. I've heard Motor City Solutions is one of the two best options around there. What is the other shop(s), and is there a compelling reason to pick one over the other?

2. Is it currently recommended to get ClearPlex (or other brand) windshield protection film applied? Hopefully whichever shop I choose can do this, as well.

3. Is it generally necessary to also pay for "paint correction" for these cars, prior to PPF installation? My car is a bright, solid color, non-metallic, non-pearlescent, so it should be pretty forgiving, but no sense skimping at this point, if it is a good idea.

Thanks for any guidance provided!

 

[extrap]

... Kevin is going to store the car for me to let the paint cure for several weeks ...

Man, you are patient!

 

[Durward1]

My 2021 Carbon Series NFGT is going to be delivered to Detroit area (Milliken/Kevin K) in about a month, and I am obviously getting quite excited. I am trying to formulate my game plan to ensure that everything is in order when it is delivered to me in South Dakota. My reason for going with Kevin/Milliken Ford is 1) I've heard great things, and they have obviously done this quite a bit by now, and 2) I don't trust anybody in my home area to do a proper job with the PPF, and I would like this car ready to drive when I have it delivered to me. So, Kevin is going to store the car for me to let the paint cure for several weeks, and then take it to the shop/shops of my choice to get the paint protection film done, before delivering the car to me.

My questions are:

1. I've heard Motor City Solutions is one of the two best options around there. What is the other shop(s), and is there a compelling reason to pick one over the other?

2. Is it currently recommended to get ClearPlex (or other brand) windshield protection film applied? Hopefully whichever shop I choose can do this, as well.

3. Is it generally necessary to also pay for "paint correction" for these cars, prior to PPF installation? My car is a bright, solid color, non-metallic, non-pearlescent, so it should be pretty forgiving, but no sense skimping at this point, if it is a good idea.

Thanks for any guidance provided!

Dakota GT
My 2020 Gulf Heritage was delivered to me at home in South Dakota through Sioux City Ford in September. I had it protected with the Expel product by Luxury Auto Mall of Sioux Falls. I can’t speak highly enough about the pick-up and return service in their Ford GT Jimglo trailer, the perfect result they gave my car, and the great customer care they provide. Mine was the 2nd new Ford GT they had done. I’m having them do the same for my 2006 Ford GT in the spring
By the way, the new car is absolutely sensational in every way.

 

[Special K]

I installed the clearplex on my windshield. Like my older GT, it was installed with no noticeable distortion. For the money, I feel it adds some piece of mind.
I didn’t do paint correction on my frozen white car and have not noticed any blemishes before or after PPF. I used xpel and covered it with ceramic coating. Cleaning the car takes me about 20 min.

 

[Specracer]

Do the proper prep before applying Xpel (paint correction), why go "half way"?

I have Clearplex. Literally the FIRST time I drove it to get gas, (DTE was zero), a truck kicked up a rock, and BANG right in my field of view. I can still see the mark. I think it saved a chip, if not a breakage. I'm only speculating what might have happened, but for sure, was glad to have the film on there.

 

[jaxgt]

milliken had my car clear brad up by them. They did an amazing job. Still cant even see it. Congrats

 

[GKW05GT]

I used Clear Plex and really no noticeable distortion along with Expel but no paint correction.

 

[Cadster]

Congrats on your GT! You must be so excited.

FWIW, I have found Exoshield to be far superior to Clearplex. I currently have Exoshield on three cars, and Clearplex on one car (and had it on one former car). Here are the advantages of Exoshield: thicker (5.5 mil versus 4 mil), less rainbow effect, less visual distortions, hydrophobic, and self-healing. Again, YMMV. None of these windshield films respond well to wipers, so please keep that in mind.

 

[DakotaGT]

Dakota GT
My 2020 Gulf Heritage was delivered to me at home in South Dakota through Sioux City Ford in September. I had it protected with the Expel product by Luxury Auto Mall of Sioux Falls. I can’t speak highly enough about the pick-up and return service in their Ford GT Jimglo trailer, the perfect result they gave my car, and the great customer care they provide. Mine was the 2nd new Ford GT they had done. I’m having them do the same for my 2006 Ford GT in the spring
By the way, the new car is absolutely sensational in every way.

Thanks, Q. As I told you, I am VERY familiar with Luxury Auto Mall (just picked up my wife’s new Mercedes from them yesterday, in fact), and they are definitely one of only two shops around here I would ever let touch my cars. And they surely did a nicer job on your Heritage than they did on the first GT, but the learning curve is steep, yours was only GT number two for them, and I’d prefer to use a shop that has done literally dozens of GTs and other extreme high-end cars. These places know exactly which areas need the thicker mil film, which areas need two layers, they don’t bat an eye at things like removing the side view mirrors for a seamless result, etc. Plus, they don’t do windshield film. Believe me, I was tempted- SF Ford (same company owner as LAM) really wanted to be my delivering dealer, and said they would essentially do all of my PPF for nearly free.

Glad to hear you are enjoying your car! Yes, they are definitely a blast. If you ever head up North a ways, we should get together.

 

[DakotaGT]

Do the proper prep before applying Xpel (paint correction), why go "half way"?

I have Clearplex. Literally the FIRST time I drove it to get gas, (DTE was zero), a truck kicked up a rock, and BANG right in my field of view. I can still see the mark. I think it saved a chip, if not a breakage. I'm only speculating what might have happened, but for sure, was glad to have the film on there.

Same exact thing happened immediately after I installed the Clearplex on my 2006 FGT- big rock from a truck impacted my lower driver side windshield. Still left a mark in the glass (which I think can be fixed and made invisible, whenever the Clearplex gets removed), but I’m sure it would have been MUCH worse if not for the Clearplex.

 

[DakotaGT]

Congrats on your GT! You must be so excited.

FWIW, I have found Exoshield to be far superior to Clearplex. I currently have Exoshield on three cars, and Clearplex on one car (and had it on one former car). Here are the advantages of Exoshield: thicker (5.5 mil versus 4 mil), less rainbow effect, less visual distortions, hydrophobic, and self-healing. Again, YMMV. None of these windshield films respond well to wipers, so please keep that in mind.

That is excellent information - I will be sure to inquire about that possibility! Thank you.

 

[DakotaGT]

Thank you all for your input. Greatly appreciated!

 

[DakotaGT]

Man, you are patient!

You don’t know the half of it- I was contacted a year ago by Ford and told I could have my GT built, but I had literally JUST purchased another (even more significant) toy, and thought I had better do the responsible thing and space them out a bit more. Besides, it’s winter in South Dakota for quite a while, so I may as well let the paint cure for a while, as MultiMatic recommends, because the earliest you’ll find me on the roads around here in a nice car is April/May.

 

[fjpikul]

No reason for paint correction. My guy said it was one of the best paint jobs he had seen on a new high end car. Make sure someone does clearplex No one in St Louis does it and I got it from one of the Forum members here and had a window tint guy do it. You should not let a clear bra place do it

 

[Simon]

Paint quality is excellent. If it does not meet your standards, the PPF will obscure any supposed imperfections that your detailer may point out.
Suntek and Clearplex for on solid white car.

 

[fordgt6]

Thanks for the information. I am scheduled to have my NFGT delivered on 1/20/21 at 0900. I can't wait and am very excited.

 

[fordgt6]

My car has the stripe option. Can anyone advise if the Xpel should be placed in one sheet over the stripe or trim at the stripe? Thanks

 

[gregmhtd]

Xpel is the way to go and I also did the entire undercarriage as well. Under the doors was the only area in which two sheets were applied, and its already paid for itself 10x.
A few weeks ago while driving 70 on a Dallas freeway, a 5' wide piece of ridged flat plastic flew over the car in front of me, landing directly in my path, zero time to swerve, had to drive over the damn thing and it sounded nasty, figured front spoiler had to be toast. After inspecting the car when I got home, to my surprise the only damage was a large gash under the bottom of the drivers door. First Xpel layer was toast, second layer was scared, but when peeled off the paint was fine, had the second layer not been there, to the body shop it would of gone.
$250 and two new lawyers applied, good as new.

 

[Simon]

Xpel is the way to go and I also did the entire undercarriage as well. Under the doors was the only area in which two sheets were applied, and its already paid for itself 10x.
A few weeks ago while driving 70 on a Dallas freeway, a 5' wide piece of ridged flat plastic flew over the car in front of me, landing directly in my path, zero time to swerve, had to drive over the damn thing and it sounded nasty, figured front spoiler had to be toast. After inspecting the car when I got home, to my surprise the only damage was a large gash under the bottom of the drivers door. First Xpel layer was toast, second layer was scared, but when peeled off the paint was fine, had the second layer not been there, to the body shop it would of gone.
$250 and two new lawyers applied, good as new.

My doors are triple wrapped

 

[Gene Cassone]

I have Exoshield as well. My installer uses both. Prefers Exoshield.